This has been one of my favorites for over half a century! When I was a kid, I loved it for the action scenes, of course (I had already seen Gene Kelly in The Three Musketeers doing the kind of acrobatics Jackie Chan became famous for much later on). The buildup is superbly done, with Granger pathetically believable in his clumsy rage early on, and his hero training a la Joseph Campbell is fairly well described (although Sabatini's book added a touch: Scaramouche reads! And learns from books how to surpass his teacher).
Later on, I fell in love with Janet Leigh, and my enjoyment of her beauty hasn't diminished with time either.
Still later, I began to enjoy the comedic touches, like the boisterous, raunchy affair Granger enjoys at the beginning of the film, the shaving scene that he did all in one take, and the evolution of the comedic troupe itself throughout the film.
Lastly, but not the least, I still enjoy thinking about the historical aspects of this period piece, which takes place just prior to the French Revolution. There is an interesting hint that the exchanging of aristocratic bullies for a commoner "hired gun" was not necessarily a step forward; and the wench Scaramouche began with certainly shows her resourcefulness at the end!
Later on, I fell in love with Janet Leigh, and my enjoyment of her beauty hasn't diminished with time either.
Still later, I began to enjoy the comedic touches, like the boisterous, raunchy affair Granger enjoys at the beginning of the film, the shaving scene that he did all in one take, and the evolution of the comedic troupe itself throughout the film.
Lastly, but not the least, I still enjoy thinking about the historical aspects of this period piece, which takes place just prior to the French Revolution. There is an interesting hint that the exchanging of aristocratic bullies for a commoner "hired gun" was not necessarily a step forward; and the wench Scaramouche began with certainly shows her resourcefulness at the end!